BackGround
Rutherford schools were Overcrowded and outdated
In the fall of 2019, Rutherford voters approved a plan to borrow up to $45.3 million to make major improvements to the borough’s schools. An enrollment increase was a major factor in the Sept. 24 bond referendum. Enrollment had risen slightly but steadily in preceding years, and forecasts indicated it would continue for at least the next five years. That’s a testament to the desirability of Rutherford, but it also resulted in overcrowding and inefficiency. Daily observations by teachers, students and parents pointed to this problem for years, and a 2017 state report verified it with hard numbers. That Department of Education report showed that every one of Rutherford’s schools were operating at a capacity that was out of line with efficiency standards. In daily practice, that could be seen with very tight scheduling and including more students in classes than is advised.
The proposal called for additional space for classrooms as well as rooms that accommodate learning in other ways, such as gym or multipurpose space, and converting older areas into updated classrooms. For project details, including a school-by-school breakdown, click here.
Timeline to Construction.pdfEven without higher enrollment, Rutherford schools were showing their age. The problem was visible not only in infrastructure like drafty windows and moisture-damaged floors, but in facilities that did not meet today’s educational expectations. Science labs from the 1970s didn’t meet national standards; gyms are only half the size as recommended; kindergarten classrooms didn’t have restrooms that met state regulations, and buildings did not conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Because bond-funded projects qualify for state funding, it made sense to move those improvements out of the annual operating budget and into the bond plan. The proposal included projects totaling $45.3 million. State aid will contribute more than $9 million toward payments over the life of the bond, reducing the local share to about $36.3 million. After state aid is accounted for, the annual cost on a home with an assessed value of $430,270 (the average in Rutherford) was estimated to be $336, according to estimates calculated at the time of the proposal.